RVCA's Los Angeles StoreThe end of the year can be a time for reflection, but for the good folks at Costa Mesa, Calif.-fashion brand RVCA, it’s a great time to open a boutique.On Dec. 30, RVCA rolled into a 1,600-square-foot store at 501 N. Fairfax Ave. in...

Wednesday, December 30

Fellow babies of the ’80s remember the wonderment of the "Captain EO" 3-D film experience at Disneyland that ran from 1986–1997. For a limited engagement in February 2010, Disneyland will resurrect the 17-minute film/music video ride starring Michael...

Ben Sherman announced it is getting out of the womenswear business and sticking to menswear. Womenswear is responsible for only 10 percent to 15 percent of the line’s revenues. Earlier this year, the company, ...

Melanie Michaud quit a safe, well-paying job at an established retailer to open a series of temporary pop-up shops recently. She believes the business of pop-up shops is solid and might be the best way for a ...

California’s ports may be seeing fewer cargo containers coming across the docks. But one thing is for sure—cargo exports at the state’s major sea hubs are definitely up. At the Port of Oakland, exports in Novemb...

On Dec. 18, the Consumer Product Safety Commission voted unanimously to extend a stay of enforcement on testing and certification of many regulated children’s products. The enforcement of specific CPSC...

Wednesday, December 23

Homepage of upcoming fashion Web site Couture BlvdVenita Haynes watched many independent fashion boutiques go out of business in the past year. Yet instead of resigning herself to being frustrated about the sad current state of indie fashion, she...

I’m still kicking myself that I missed the annual Christmas party thrown Dec. 18 by the Textile Association of Los Angeles. (In 11 years at Apparel News, this is only the second time I’ve missed the event). Every year, TALA invites kids from local boys and girls...

If you really want to see where the holiday shopping throngs are congregating, try visiting the venerable Santee Alley in the heart of the Los Angeles Fashion District. Wedged between Santee and Maple streets, the four blocks with a...

Monday, December 21

BFFs Alejandra Hernandez and Rana Shoar at Virgo’s opening-night party on Dec. 18It’s all about location, location, location. Young hipster design duo Alejandra Hernandez and Rana Shoar planted their store Virgo in a spot that has guaranteed designer-shoe foot traffic...

Vivienne Westwood and Andreas KronthalerFor all the years that I have been going to Hong Kong Fashion Week, this is probably a first.Fashion doyenne Vivienne Westwood will be presenting a runway show at Hong Kong Fashion Week, scheduled for...

Plano, Texas–based JCPenney Co. Inc. named Geraldine B. Laybourne to its board of directors. Laybourne co-founded and was the chief executive officer of Oxygen Media, a cable and Internet network for y...

Wearable avant-garde—that is the look of Funktional. Designer Jennifer Park debuted the collection for Fall/Holiday at the MAGIC Marketplace last August. Park said she created the collection for the...

Shoppers in Los Angeles' Fashion District have seen improvements to Santee Alley, bus stops and even sidewalks thanks to a project spearheaded by the Los Angeles Fashion District. The $1.3 million project culminated this...

After months of chewing on these still-photo teasers, the trailer for Tim Burton’s "Alice in Wonderland" with costumes designed by Colleen Atwood has finally hit online. Alice may be the namesake of this film, but Disney knows it's all about milking...

Keeping it real: Keep Company now carries socks to go with its signature shoesLos Angeles–based Keep Company is branching out just in time for you last-minute shoppers.The brand—which makes colorful kicks in an array of...

The ultimate fashionista's dream sale come true...... Today in L.A., Rodarte die-hards had the chance to pick up some pieces from the Fall collection just days before the much-hyped Target collab is set to debut. Of course our Apparel...

Tuesday, December 15

Trina Turk, in the center, works with Otis studentsThird-year students at the Otis School of Art and Design in Los Angeles got some expert advice from well-known Los Angeles designer Trina Turk on how to...

Did you catch the recent interview with fashion designer-turned-filmmaker Tom Ford on NPR show Fresh Air? Host Terry Gross talked to Ford about his new (first!) film “A Single Man” and his career in fashion. Ford describes the extremely detailed thinking...

Fashion e-tail site Nasty Gal, based in the Bay Area, has become a one-stop shop for fashionistas’ killer outfit needs. The site pairs vintage finds with on-trend, new contemporary apparel, accessories and footwear. The site’s proprietress, Sophia Amoruso, styled...

New York–based Iconix Brand Group renewed its exclusive licensing agreement with Kohl’s for Iconix’s Candie’s-branded apparel and accessories. Kohl’s first landed the Candie’s license in 2005. The deal had been extended to...

In just five short years, tokidoki creative director Simone Legno took his admiration for Japanese pop culture to create artwork that soon transformed into a popular lifestyle brand, with its adorable characters harnessing a tough...

Seattle-based outdoor-equipment and apparel retailer REI created the Mary Anderson Legacy Grant in honor of founder Mary Anderson’s 100th birthday. The annual grant will be presented in honor of the co...

Kill City jeans, as worn by Rihanna, just one of the many options for do-gooders. (Image courtesy of JustJared)Punk-inspired brand Kill City has launched a holiday jean swap to benefit the homeless. As part of the program,...

Marshmallow T-shirt by Doktor DoktorThe humble white T-shirt has been elevated to interesting new heights by Project White T-shirt, an international project dreamed up by Triple-Major Studio that asks 31 designers from 13...

Rami Kashou just released a film featuring his Spring 2010 collection. The Los Angeles-based designer and Project Runway alum opted to create a film presentation of his latest collection this season versus showing in a traditional runway...

Monday, December 7

Plush robots by KauzbotsI think I love crafting and D.I.Y. projects because I, unfortunately, was born devoid of any such discernable craft-making skills (unless you count gluing dried macaroni to a paper...

Zachary's Smile will party for its first year anniversaryEven if the economy is gloomy, boutique owners find ways to make the holidays be times of celebration and charity. In the next few weeks, many boutiques and denizens of the fashion...

The thrill of the flash sale sites rolls on with the latest site to enter the Web landscape, Gomatta Girls, based in downtown Los Angeles. Gomatta Girls hosts 24-hour sales and then it’s history. The site, which recently has...

When fashion veteran George Arrington made a gamble to open his first boutique on Los Angeles’ high-profile Robertson Boulevard, he also wanted to provide an alternative on the denim-obsessed street....

South Coast Plaza’s Miu Miu boutiqueMany pundits say the only way to win in this fashion game is to stand out from the crowd. And that’s what the venerable fashion house Prada intends to do with the store design of its Miu Miu...

It’s going to be a cute, cute Christmas—if The Gap has anything to do about it. This holiday ad is currently airing—and (to me, at least) it has all the makings of a viral success: adorable moppets—in clothing I covet for my imaginary Swedish...

A sexy nativity scene at the Madison store on Robertson Boulevard is causing an uproar.The window was designed by CM Squared Designs, which was recently featured in Apparel News for their provocative window displays around Los....

Los Angeles-based specialty retail store Metropark launched an iPhone and iPod Touch mobile shopping application that provides a full assortment of the products featured on its online store. Users can browse through its list...

Phillip Lim at his West Hollywood store opening. Photo by John Schulli/Berliner StudioFashion designer Phillip Lim, now based in New York but raised in Southern California, is making a special appearance at the Los Angeles Museum of Art on...

Leave it to Los Angeles designers and artists to combine forces for a day of art, fashion and music. Lucy B lingerie David Solomon and the Downtown Art Gallery will hold an open house and sample sale on Dec. 5 in downtown L.A. The collaborative event will...